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Urban farming is usually thought of as a niche business for high-end food produce. In Chicago, it has taken on a new meaning.

Police in a helicopter stumbled upon what may be the largest outdoor pot farm in the city's history. Planted in rows and spread over an area the size of two football fields, as many as 1,500 plants averaging 6-feet tall were growing amidst heavy brush in an industrial area on the city's South Side.

"This would not be visible from the street," said Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy at a press conference today. "It's surrounded by a huge field that you wouldn't see anywhere (but) from the air. "

He estimated the hidden pot to be worth $7 million to $10 million.

The discovery was noteworthy not only for the size of the growing area but for the size of the plants themselves, some as tall as Christmas trees, according to police. "Usually you see a marijuana plant that's 3-feet high. These resemble plants that you'd see out in California, running anywhere from 4-foot to 8-foot high," said Nick Roti, head of the Chicago Police Organized Crime Bureau.